Big 12 begins early this year as the MittieCats take on the Bearcats in Manhattan before Christmas.
It’s not quite the turn of the calendar yet, but Big 12 play begins in earnest today for your Kansas State Wildcats.
The Wildcats take their 12-1 into conference play looking to take their first league crown since the 2007-08 season. The Wildcats are led by one of the most efficient scorers in the country in All-American super-senior Ayoka Lee, who is scoring nearly a point a minute of game action so far this season. She’s supplemented by the stellar all-around play of senior Serena Sundell, as well as the one of the best outside shooters in the country so far on the season in sophomore Taryn Sides.
The Cats are hosting the Bearcats of Cincinnati today for the first time in program history, in just the second meeting all-time between the two programs. Last season, the Cats and Cats opened the Big 12 slate in Ohio, with K-State heading back to Manhattan with a 66-41 win. The two teams enter today’s game with nearly identical records to last season at the same time, as the Bearcats are 8-2 or the season.
Cincy’s best win is over Georgetown (NET 103), and their two losses are to teams in that similar zone of the NET rankings. The Bearcats are currently at 82, one spot behind KU and 9 spots above previous opponent Texas A&M, who the MittieCats blasted 89-50 in College Station a few weeks ago.
K-State should start the Big 12 slate 1-0, it’s just a matter of how impressive the Cats look doing so.
We’ve got a 1:00pm CT tipoff for the game this afternoon from Bramlage Coliseum, and you can catch the action on ESPN+ with Brian Smoller (play-by-play), Missy Heidrick (analyst), and Sophie Smith (sideline) on the call.
If you can’t access the stream, the game can be heard across portions of the 28-station K-State Sports Network with Matt Walters (play-by-play) and Kristin Waller (analyst) calling the action. The game will also be available online at K-Statesports.com and via the Varsity Network app, as well as on satellite radio on SiriusXM Ch. 199 or 211. Live stats are also available at k-statesports.com, and social media updates (@KStateWBB) will also be a part of the coverage.
Go Cats!